This Invention is based on my previous work expressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,312, ILLUSION APPARATUS, U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,223, TRAINING VIDEO METHOD AND DISPLAY, and, particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,404, OPTICAL BLOB, the contents of each being here incorporated by reference thereto.
The Tracking Mirror is preferably used in place of typical security mirrors commonly used in retail stores to catch shoplifters. Security mirrors are convex, to allow wide angle coverage, and are generally mounted near or on the store""s ceiling, to provide unobstructed aerial views. Commonly, store personnel monitor the premises by occasional glances at the mirrors. Security mirrors are often semi-transparent (i.e., with reflective coating thin enough to allow some light to pass through) to allow video cameras or security personnel to carry out hidden surveillance from behind the mirrors.
In most cases it is unlikely that security personnel are peering down through a mirror. It is also unlikely that a video camera will at any moment be properly positioned to catch a shoplifter in the act and, even if a camera sees the act, security personnel may not be monitoring that camera at that time. A potential shoplifter will, however, check reflections in the security mirrors to see if personnel in the store are watching him/her.
It is a purpose of this Invention to deter theft (and/or other crimes) by adding an additional factor of intimidation to dissuade potential shoplifters from becoming xe2x80x9ckineticxe2x80x9d shoplifters. Under the preferred embodiment, when a potential shoplifter looks up to check a security mirror (to see if store personnel are watching), he/she sees a red circle about his/her own reflection in the mirror.
The Invention appears in a preferred embodiment for each of the two commonly known security mirror types.